@ripienaar @Mastodon Mhmm I'm not sure that the alleged isolation is responsible for "insane delivery fees", but I've also not seen what they are.

Taxes would be payable in any case.

@crablab @Mastodon import duties would not, in fact, be payable within the EU - I have lived in the EU pre and post brexit so well aware of the changes.

What once was free and fast shipping is now 15 pounds + taxes entering the EU plus (often) fees by carriers for processing through customs.

@ripienaar @Mastodon The import "duties" are generally VAT, which would be payable within the EU Single Market. I don't know if IOSS is being offered, but if so then the correct rate of VAT will be collected and remitted as for any other transaction within the EU SM.

I bought something and paid UK VAT. If I buy something in France and import it to the UK I have to pay UK VAT on it. If I buy something from the UK and import into France, I have to pay French VAT.

@ripienaar @Mastodon I run an e-commerce business. I'm all too painfully aware of the additional costs we bear to sell into the EU (accountants for IOSS VAT returns), and the additional friction.

But the requirement to collect and pay VAT hasn't changed, it just works differently now.

@crablab @Mastodon indeed VAT is needed you are right but now there are customs formalities in the destination country.

We have customs duties for over €150 and we have to pay a processing fee for getting stuff through customs on a €150
Item those handling fees can be around €30 depending on a few things.

This is same for all non EU of course - but order from China and shipment is often free for ex.

I have simply stopped doing business with any UK company.

@crablab @Mastodon prior to brexit we didn’t have these fees at all for any country. But as we are an English language country as non EU imports were not high volume.

The volume of imports from UK is vast and the extra formalities caused by Brexit has resulted in so much extra work and staff that we now pay this on every package from third countries.

So directly Brexit made every import from third countries like 15 to 30 more expensive for us.

@ripienaar @crablab @Mastodon I'm pretty sure the clearance fees are related to the implementation of IOSS (and the associated removal of the much-abused VAT-free import threshold) and not because of Brexit.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Import_One-Stop_Shop

(We also have IOSS in the UK)